Rockwell 112A accident near Near Los Banos, California, February 14, 1982
On February 14, 1982, a Rockwell 112A, registered N1433J, was destroyed in an accident near Near Los Banos, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1982
- Place
- Near Los Banos, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112A
- Registration
- N1433J · no longer on the register · serial 433
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT THE MOUNTAINS WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS, THE OUTLOOK WAS FOR MARGINAL VFR CEILINGS, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WERE DETERIORATING FASTER THAN FORCASTED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT 1333 PST WITHOUT FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. LATER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED PROCEEDING ALONG A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT AFTER THE AIRCRAFT PASSED ABOVE HIM, IT MADE A 180 DEG TURN. THE PLANE THEN FLEW INTO A BOX CANYON AREA, ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY. AFTER ENTERING THE BOX CANYON, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A LEFT TURN WHEN IT CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF AN UPWARD SLOPING HILL ABOUT 50 FT BELOW AND ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE PASS (WEST OF THE CRASH SITE) WAS OBSCURED WITH CLOUDS AND THAT THE PREVAILING OVERCAST WAS ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE WERE REPORTED AS NORMAL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 562 hours in all; 195 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,053 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Chino CA at 1:33 pm
- Destination: C San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.